A mule-driver interposed:  “I understand the story thus:  None of us has any property on earth.  We are all only the stewards of the property and when we give of it to the needy, we are unjust stewards because we give what is not ours, and yet we do right.”

Some shook their heads over this interpretation; the rich and those learned in the Scriptures could not understand it.  But Jesus said in prayer:  “I praise, O Father, that Thou revealest many things to the simple that are hidden from the worldly wise.  Blessed are those who are not offended by My teaching!”

Now the disciples always discussed together anything that was not quite clear.  Thomas did not exactly understand what the Master meant by the word truth, by saying that He was the truth, that we must pray to God in truth, and that he who is of truth would understand God’s word.

What did John, the youngest of them, say?  “The children of the world call it truth if they break a stone with a hammer and find that it is chalk; they call it truth to know the difference between the fishes in the sea and the worms on the earth, and to be able to measure the dimensions of the sky with figures; they call it truth when it is established that a seed of corn germinates, and a man’s body turns into dust after death.  Truly, every one can see those things with his own eyes.  But is man’s eye the truth?  And did He say:  ’You shall know the truth’?  No; He said:  ‘You shall be the truth.’”

To be the truth!  To be void of guile and falsehood!  To be true and open in mind and heart!

So they sought to increase their knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven; hourly and daily did many a one rejoice because he had found what the wise men of the ages had sought after.

The poor, the despised, and the unhappy came to Him more and more.  That strange desert camp was often filled with the sick, the over-burdened, and the despairing.  Many came from afar full of great troubles, yet borne up by hope, and then when they saw Him, tall and earnest, standing there and teaching men in deep sayings, their courage deserted them; they could not trust Him.  They were full of fear.  Then He spread out His hands and exclaimed: 

“Come, come unto Me, all that are over-burdened and oppressed; I will relieve you.  I am not come to judge and to punish.  I am come to find what is lost, to heal what is sick, and to revive what is dead.  I am come to the sad to console them, to the fallen to raise them up.  I give Myself for the redemption of many.  My power is not of this world.  I am Master in the Kingdom of God, where all are blessed in trustful, joyful love.  Come to Me, all ye who have erred and gone astray.  I have joy and eternal life for you.”

The disciples looked at each other in astonishment:  He had never before spoken with such divine gentleness.  The people, sobbing, crowded round Him; His words were as balm to their wounds.  They wondered how it was possible for a man to speak so proudly, lovingly and divinely.  They gave themselves up to Him, filled with trust and enthusiasm; in His presence the hungry were fed, the blind made to see, the lame walked, doubters believed, the weak became strong, and dead souls lived.